The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-02-05
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MONROE. La. FEBRUARY 5. 1887.
HYPNoT1sM.
mo. states.l

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Most of our readers have probably at
one time another been present at mes.
meric seances, whensom of those def
professors of electro-biology, like Pro
lessor Fowler or Professor Oliver, have
sent persons off into sort of waking
sleep, In which, under the mesmeric
influence, they have parted with con-
troll over their own wills and have
yielded unquestionipg obedience in
every particular to the will of the
mesmeriser.
II is not every person over whom the
operator can obtain, or at least easily
obtain, this mastery. Only such per
sons can be hynotized, as it is called,
or lulled into q semblauce of sleep,
who are blessed Cor cursed, it may be
rather) with peculiarly susceptible
systems of nerves-who have, in med
ical lingo, "the neurotic tempera-
ment."
And we may here INTERCEPT, by way
of parenthesls, that, however amusing
it may be tor the spectator at such
seances to look on at the absurd antics
performed by the patient at the "sug~
gestion" of the mesmeriser, and to
gaze in open monthed wonder at his
abject surrender Of his will to that of
the operator, it is an experimentation
infinitely deleterious to the patients
volition, and to be summed like poison.
The occasional, not to say frequent,
repetition of the experiment skaters
the willpower, and leaves the patient
at last utterly bereft of the capacity of
either forming decision for himself,
or Of carrying out decision which he
has stumbled upon making. Such is
the deplorable result of parting occa-
sionally with ones faculty Of willing
for himself.
But while hynOtism for mere amuse>
ment deserves the sternest condemna-
ton, as an adjunct or handmade Of
medical science it may be and lately
has been made Of Incredible use.
Experiments made daily at the Sal.
petriere Hospital in Paris by Doctors
Charcot and Babiuski on patients
lulled in bynotic sleep were described
which showed the most interesting
results. The patients experimental
on were suffering from hysterical
epilepsy, or hysterical dumbness or
paralysis of limb, or other such ner-
vous ailment. And this the manner
of the treatment: Suppose in the first
instance that A and B are both per-
fectly healthy patients, and that both
have neuroiic temperament. Place
them back to back, touching each
other; hypnotic A, and "suggesl'
toothache to him. While he is racked
by the pain, place the pole OF a magnet
to the side of one Of them, the other
pole pointing to the other. s'Suggest"
the transmission of the ache, aud at
once A is relieved, and b is simulta-
neousiy attacked, and remainsa victim
until by similar process of suggestion
on the part of the operator he is re-
lieved. 1t will be observed that this is
gratui,ous and useless experiment.
But again. Suppose that a is girl
suffering from hystero-opiiepsy, that
B is another girl strong and healthy,
and that both A and B are easy subs
jects of hynotism. Place them back to
back, touching each other, during one
of A's paroXysms, bynotize them
both, and use tho magnet as before.
The suffering is transferred by Suggest
ion from A to Il, not it may be at the
first trial but in the end surely; and
A thus obtains relief, mot merely
temporary, but absolute and perman-
cnt relief. The operator then by ssug-
gestion' relieves the hynotized patient
b of the pain that had been trans
mitted to her, and eventually dispels
the malady entirely.
Not few successful cures have been
obtained in this way by Messrs. Char
cot and Babinski, in different cases of
nervous disturbance, such as hysteric
dumbness and epilepsy, coXalgia,
hysteric paralysis and the like. The
genuineness of the cures is beyond
dispute; and, though this form of
experimentation is but yet in its in,
fancy, it opens up a vista Of relief
from nervous suffering in the future
which may materially help curtail the
number OF ills to which flesh is heir.
Not medical men alone, but mankind
at large will await the results OF CHAR
cots continued operations, with an
eagerness that is unfeigued.
1t seems probable that the European
nations will agree on the Duke of
Leuchtenberg for the Bulgarian throne.
We know nothing of the young mans
own personality, but his family at one
time cut q considerable figure in his
tory 1t will be remembered that q